Musical toy



Nov. 24, 1925- 1,562,721

F. M. PEERCE MUSICAL TOY Filed Nov. 19. 1923 2 Sheets-Sfieet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllllllblfll Nov. 24, 1925 ran/r 11 Eerce Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

FRANK IJI. PIERCE, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL TOY.

Application filed November 19,1923.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK hI. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Musical Toy; and I do hereby declare that the tollowil'ig a full, clear, and er'act de scription oi the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a music producing toy and comprises a plurality of metallic members having ditl'erent timbre with strikers tor alternately vibrating said metallic members and a novel form of n'ieans for controlling the strikers.

The invention consists in the novel structure and combinations hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and delined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reterence numerals refor to similar teaturcs in the ditlerent views:

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the toy.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the toy.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the rotary disk showing the metallic members in dotted lines.

Figure 4: is a central vertical section of the toy with parts in elevation.

."is shown on the drawings:

In referring to the drawing, it will be observed that the selected embodiment for illustrating this invention coi'i'iprises a handle 1 having a supporting rod 2 secured therein and extending thereabove. A rotatable drum 3 secured upon the rod just above the handle forms a bearing support for arotatable disk or member l rotatably mounted upon the red. A sleeve 5 is positioned upon the upper part of the rod 2 and a stationary spider 6 is confined upon the upper end of said rod between the sleeve 5 and a head 7 upon said rod.

This spider 6 supports a pair of metallic members 8 which are diametrically located and in the form of pendant bells. In the present embodiment of this invention, these bells are provided with apertures for receiv ing the ends of the spider arms 6 which are expanded or split for supporting the bells Serial No. 575,493. a

as shown in Figure l. Spaced substantially 90 from the pendant bells 8 are metallic disks 9 which are l'iorizontally arranged and supported by spider arms 6 in a manner similar to the bells 8. These metallic disks 9 have a dili'erent timbre from the metallic bells, and they are located at a higher elevation than the bells 8- tor a purpose that will later appear.

The disk t is adapted to be rotated by a cord or cable 10 which has an upper bifureated end. The bii urcated ends are of unequal length and they extend through suitable apertures upon opposite sides of the r0 tating axis of the disks, a small striker 11 in the term of a ball is secured upon the shorter bilurcated end of the cable. The diameter of the ball 11 is such that it will pass under the disks 9 without striking the same. It is however large enough to strike the metallic bells 8 and its supporting bitru-cated end of the cable is long enough to allow it to move out by centrifugal force for such a purpose. The section of the cable joining the balls 11 and 12 is in effect a reciprocating member. The diameter of the ball 12 is suliiciently large so that it will strike the disks 9 and the bifurcated. end of the cable that is attached to this ball is sutiiciently long for such a purpose but not long enough to allow said ball 19. to strike the metallic bells.

The cable is adapted to be wound upon the rotatable drum 3. In operating the toy, the end of the cable thuswise wound is grasped and quickly pulled outwardly thereby rotating the disk l. A su'l'liciently powerlul. pull upon the cable will cause the disk *l: to rotate at such a speed that it will acquire sutlicient momentiun to continuerotating after the cable is unwound and rewind the cable. When the cable has been thuswise rewound-upon the drum 3 the operator may give it another pull. and repeat the operation, the disk in such instance, however, re-

volving in an opposite direction. Thus the disk may be alternately rotated in opposite directions as often as desired. When the disk rotates in one direction, one of the bifurcated ends of the cable will be free so that its ball. may travel out by centrifugal force for striking a metallic member; the other bifurcated end will be partially wrapped around the drum 3 so that its ball will be retained close to the pivotal axis of the disk. IVhen the disk rotates in the op iii posite direction, the bifurcated ends of the cable will assume reverse positions, that is the one that was free will be partially wound upon the drum 3 so that its ball or striker will be inoperative while the other will be free so that its ball or striker may strike the certain metallic members. Consequently different sounds are emitted during 'opposite rotations oi the disk.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a Wide range without departing "from the principles oi this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toy, a rotatable disk, metallic members 01'' ditierent timbre supported above said disk at difierent distances from the center thereof and at different elevations therefrom, a. cable hearing bifurcated ends of dltlerent length extending through said disk upon opposite sides of the rotatable axis thereof, small striker upon one of the bifurcated ends, a larger striker upon the other bifurcated end and a rotatable drum upon which the cable is adapted to be wound and rewound.

2. In a toy, a rotatable disk, metallic members supported above said disk at difierent elevations, able having bifurcated ends extending through said disk at opposite sides of the pivotal point thereof, difi'en ent sized strikers upon bifurcated ends of the cable and a drum upon which the cable is adapted to be Wound.

3. In a toy, a rotatable disk, metallic members of different timbre supported above said disk, aplurality of strikers mounted on said disk for rotation therewith, and means for rotating said disk and controlling said strikers tor causing alternate action thcreo't upon ditii'erent metallic members.

'11-. In a toy, a rotatable disk, metallic members o't di'll'erent timbre supported above said disk at ditlerent elevations therefrom, a plurality of strikers 0t dil'lerent size, said strikers being slidable on said disk, means for alternately rotating said disk in opposite directions and means associated with said means for sliding said strikers for alternately causing said strikers to strike certain of said metallic members.

In a toy, a movable disk, metallic members supported above said disk, strikers slidably supported on said disk and adapted to he slid into striking position, and means for operating said disk for alternatelv causing said "strikers to strike certain metallic members.

(3.111 a toy, a rotatable disk, metallic members of diti'erent timbre supported above said disk, apair of strikers and and controlling ers and means connected 0 said reciprocatng m nber tor actuating; the "11116 and im Pint is movement to said rotatable disk.

i. in a toy, a rotatable member, metallic members or dinercnt timbre supported above said disk at ditierent elevations therefrom, a pair of strikers 0t difi'erent size and means for alternately rotating said disk in opposite directions and alternately causinc; said strikers to strike certain of said metallic members, said means comprising a reciprocating member connecting said strikers and means connected to said reciprocating member for actuating the same and im parting movement to said rotatable disk.

8. In a toy, a movable disk, metallic members supported above said disk, strikers, and means "for operating said disk for alternately causing said strikers to strike certain metallic members, said means comprising); a reciprocating member connecting said strikers and means connected to said reciprocating member for actuating the same and imparting: movement to said rotat-able disk.

9. In a toy, a movable disk, sound producine members of ditl'erent timbre supported above said disk, a striker tor the member of one timbre, a striker for the n'ien'iber ot the other timbre, and means for actuating said disk and alternatingly causing said strikers to strike their respective members, said means con'iprising a reciprocating member in substantially the same plane with said disk connectingsaid strik ers and means connected to said reciprocating member for actuating the same and imparting movement to said rotatable disk.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FRANK M. PIERCE.

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